Wrong Floor Who: Alarie and Churat Where: Second floor, then climbing down to the first floor When: Early afternoon
Alarie was getting restless - what with the rain pouring outside. She felt cooped up, with not much to do other than track down her brother and bug him for a couple of hours. She had been trying to give him some space, not wanting to smother him too badly with her presence. Wandering along the second floor, Alarie pushed her hair behind her ears, eyes sweeping along some of the faces passing by her. She was desperate enough for company that she would probably snag anyone she recognized for a conversation. If she couldn't find anyone up here, Alarie considered heading down into the basement to see if she could find Desdemona again. She hadn't talked to the girl since they met, but she was friendly enough and surely would be up for company if she was awake.
Though he'd escaped the pantry at last, Churat still felt like he ought to be hiding. He was above ground. And it was daytime. Oh, gods, he felt exposed and awkward and people kept staring at him or giving him a wide berth.
Of course, the fact that you're talking to yourself and you have fangs hanging out of your mouth might have something to do with that one.
"Shut up. Shut up shut up. It's not safe in here, it's not, I need--"
Need to get back downstairs?
"Yes, that, yes, but--"
But there's no stairs! Heeheeheeheehee.
Of course, he was perfectly safe, because clouds were blocking the source of the danger, the sun, and the rain was coming down enough that it would have blocked it out even if there hadn't been clouds for it to fall from. He didn't notice Alarie until he'd nearly run into her, looking around nervously, hunched and ducking away from shadows that kept trying to reach out for him.
"Woah." Alarie reached both hands out to grip the arms of whoever had nearly run her over. That's what she got for daydreaming. Then again, he didn't seem to be watching where he was going either. Ducking her head a bit, she recognized Churat and smiled widely. "It's you!" Obviously. What he was doing out of the basement during the day? She had no idea. Although with the weather being so awful, there was no sun, so of course it made sense.
Churat backpedalled fiercely, startled and trying to pull out of the stranger's grasp. The shadows' grasp? Someone's! Someone had him-- someone had him-- someone--
Aaaah, kill it kill it!
Run away! Don't hurt it, whoever it is!
Oh, calm down, no one's going to hurt anyone.
... I still think we ought to kill it.
Then Alarie's voice and the familiar sound of her heartbeat, the faint scent that he knew, broke through the moment of unreasoning panic and he slumped aside against the wall. "Alarie. I'm sorry, I-- I didn't see you there."
Obviously.
"It's okay, really," she assured him quickly, thinking he needed it. She'd released him when it was obvious he was panicking, and Alarie had to resist reaching out to touch him again. "Are you all right? You're awfully jumpy." And she paused, studying his face. "You are Churat, aren't you?"
What kind of a question was that? Churat knew he was pretty unique-looking in the compound. "Who else would I-- oh." Of course, she meant inside. "Oh, yes, it's me. For now, anyway." How many people bothered asking that? And not in a mocking way?
He shook his head. If his heart ever beat audibly, it would probably have been racing right then. "I'm just-- I shouldn't be up here. It makes me edgy. But I keep getting turned around, and there's no stairs, and everyone keeps staring, and--"
And you're whining.
"--and I'm whining, I know, I'm sorry." He cringed a little.
Alarie smiled softly. "You're not whining," she promised, reaching out to touch his arm in a comforting way. She hadn't thought that maybe he felt stuck, or lost. She was relieved that it was Churat, really, but a tiny part of her was morbidly curious about the others. "Do you want me to help you get back downstairs?"
Feeling a right fool, Churat nodded miserably. How many people managed to get lost on the second story, when they were trying to get to the <u>basement</u>, and-- worst of all-- when they'd been here for three years already, and had no business getting lost at all?
Idiot.
"I'm sorry, I don't even know how I got so confused...." He pushed himself up off the wall again, not minding the little touch. Nobody really touched him much, and today he wasn't quite so hungry as usual. He'd siphoned a bit out of a couple horses in the herd the night before.
We know.
Listening to us, being distracted, panicking. The thing with the shadows. Of course you got lost.
Or, you know, you're just an idiot.
Well, there is that.
"Well," Alarie began with a casual shrug, "when you're used to sticking around one place more than others, it's easy to get confused, isn't it? I have a feeling I'll still be getting turned around, even months from now. Probably years." Which might not be true. Alarie could retain a lot of knowledge, but she felt bad that he seemed so embarrassed. She nodded down the hall with her head and smiled brightly. "Shall we?"
Smiling back tentatively-- stupid, non-retrecting fangs, and all-- Churat nodded. "All right." He fell into step beside her, automatically shortening his stride length for her. "So. Er. How have you been? Are you settling in all right?"
Her eyes were drawn to his fangs, and she stared at them with morbid curiosity before forcing her gaze away. It was rude to stare, after all. Though she did wonder what the big deal was about being bitten. "I've been pretty good. Settling in okay. Still trying to get used to the environment, and the people. Not everyone is as friendly as I would have hoped them to be, but I guess it was pretty naive to hope they would be." She looked over at him again. "How have you been?"
Well, well, is the sister as fascinated as the brother?
Does that kind of thing run in families, or something?
Oh, shut it. She's more likely nervous about them and doesn't want to show it.
Churat agreed with Mexecal, just then, and hunched in a little, hair falling in his face to half-hide his mouth. He was an expert at that, as long as nobody made him stand up straight or get his hair back.
"Well enough," he answered her."Though I spent all morning in the pantry, sure I was going to get burnt as soon as I stepped out...." He shook his head at himself. "Who have you been having trouble with?"
Alarie frowned, pity for him rising even more. Being stuck somewhere because you were afraid of being burned to death... it sounded horrific and she reached out to touch his arm gently once more. She could just imagine him being stuck somewhere with no one but the voices in your head for company. "Oh, no one important. Svathe? I don't know much about him other than he's a jerk. My brother told me to keep away from him, and I don't think I'll have any problem with that."
Churat made a face. "Your brother's right, there. He's a nasty one. His little pack is actually probably the biggest in the compound, and definitely the most troublesome."
Bunch of haters, the lot of them....
Hey, at least they leave us alone.
Sometimes.
"What do you think of the tests so far?" he asked. He'd not cared so much about the holes in the walls-- though having to share space with Remy grated a bit-- but the lack of staircases was just horrid.
Pack. Pfft. Alarie knew better, but it was hard to be frightened of people like that. Bullies, were all they were. "Uhm, I didn't really like having holes in my wall. Especially when I was trying to sleep. But the staircases is definitely... worse. I don't like feeling trapped, you know? Well, yeah I guess you know." Since he'd been in the pantry and all. She licked her lips and ventured a bit further in her questions. "Were you able to feed before... the stairs went missing?"
"Thank the gods, yes," Churat groaned. "I was starving. Seriously. It was getting to be a problem. That's why I got caught above ground when they disappeared, to begin with. I was outside."
Disgusting horses.
Hey, at least we can think straight now.
They were still disgusting.
And at least they didn't try to kick us.
They. Were. Still. Disgusting.
Just trtying to make the best of the situation....
"Oh." She didn't know why she felt that twinge of disappointment. It wasn't like she was going to offer. Was she? Maybe. Maybe not. Knowing her brother did it... it had her curious, and eager to see why he did it. And maybe to piss him off just enough to stop, though she doubted he would. "Well, that's good. That you fed, not that you got stuck." Which had her wondering how she was going to help him back downstairs when... yeah, no stairs. "I'm thinking that the jump between floors might be too much for you," she started, wincing apologetically. "I don't even think the Lykos have been trying it."
No, it definitely runs in families. Did you hear that?
Gods, if it's someone who might offer... even just a little, now and then....
Churat tucked one of the fangs into his mouth, sucking on it in a nervous habit, listening to them and trying to ignore the temptation. Even when he did feed, it was never enough, he was just used to the hunger.
Torture yourself, is what you do. Idiot.
Had she said something? Churat scrambled to reply. "Ah. Well, probably the same way I got up here... there's a rope, at least for the first drop...."
What the fuck were you doing going up when all you wanted was to go down?
"I don't know," Churat said, a little stung. "I don't--" Wait, he said that out loud. He winced. "Sorry...."
Ropes. Right. "You want to go down a rope?" Alarie asked skeptically, ignoring it when he spoke to himself - well, spoke to them. She could probably do it, but he didn't look all that agile. Then again, he was a vampire, so maybe he was. And he couldn't stay in her room - she had a window. "Are you sure that's safe? I don't want you to hurt yourself."
"Better than staying up here, or jumping," Churat shrugged sheepishky. "Besides, if I hurt myself, I'll just heal right back up again." Well, after he set a few bones, anyway. That was always fun.
Oooh, sure you don't want to jump?
"Very sure," he ground out under his breath. Harlequin might like the idea of watching-- and half-feeling-- broken bones, but Churat most certainly did not.
She winced again at the thought of him with broken bones. "But it still hurts doesn't it? Even if you heal right away? The pain is still there, right?"
"Eh." He shrugged awkwardly. "I'm used to that. It's not such a big deal. I mean, I don't go around hurting myself for fun--"
Like some of us, Harlequin.
Or Pradhan. I swear, I understand her less than him.
Churat shook his head and got his train of thought back on track. "But I got used to it a long time ago."
"I'll go down with you, if you want," Alarie offered hopefully. "I was thinking about trying to get down there anyway, when I ran into you. I thought maybe there would be something more interesting in the basement than up here. It feels like there's not much to do when you're restricted to one place."
"All right," Churat said, trying not to look too cheerful about the prospect of friendly company. "I don't really mind being stuck in one place as long as the one place is, you know, comfortable and has my things there, and isn't, er, the pantry." Seeing as he was "stuck" underground whenever it was light outside, he was used to it. But he much preferred to be stuck in the basement.
Alarie giggled a bit and nodded. "I guess I can understand that, sure." She decided she liked Churat. He was a bit strange... very odd, yes, but he was at least genuine. And so not a bully. Plus, her eighteen year old girlish mind told her, he was cute. Again, in a strange way. "I'll have to try not to break anything though. I don't heal as quickly as you."
"Well, that's an easy one," Churat said lightly. "I'll climb down first, and I can catch you if anything happens. I might not be the most graceful Vrykola out there, but I figure I can at least break a fall."
Not like she's probably going to fall anyway, Churat.
"Er, not that I expect you to fall, or anything, uh-- you know what I mean, right?" He winced again at his wording. He wasn't so good at this whole "social interaction" thing, seriously.
"I don't plan on falling either," Alarie replied with an air of confidence. "But," she added with a smile, "you never know what could happen. So if I have you to catch me if I do fall, I'll be appreciative of it. I'll try not to break any of your bones if you do have to catch me." They turned to where she could see the rope people had been using. Surely not everyone. There was no way everyone here was that athletic. But Alarie never backed down from a challenge, and she saw this as one.
The rope was anchored in the floor-- some mage had actually sunk it into the stone-- and was at least thickly knotted at fairly regular intervals to help those who might not have the sheer arm strength to get up and down. Churat paused at the edge of what had once been the stairwell and peered down. "You know, it amazes me sometimes, the things that can be done in this place. They made the stairways, huge constructions of stone and mortar and whatever else, attached to the floor and walls... just vanish."
Now that is magic.
"It's kind of weird," Alarie said, looking down to where the rope stopped... or rather, disappeared into the floor. "Because you can't really know what to expect here, so you can't really prepare. I don't want to have to be bracing myself for the worst every night." She reached out to touch the rope and then looked at Churat. "You first?"
"I think that's the point," Churat said, apologetically. "Good for people who think well on their feet-- not so good for people who don't. And me, first." He turned around and started to back down the rope, relatively fearless-- heights didn't really bother him-- as he felt for the first knot with his inside-boots, soft-soled and flexible. At least strength he had in plenty to just haul himself down without worrying about not being able to hold himself up.
And you came up this why?
"I don't know, I just did," Churat grumbled quietly. "Maybe I wanted to be social, for once."
I think you just got confused as to which way was down.
Or maybe it was Harlequin being an idiot.
Or just him being an idiot.
"Guys, if you don't shut up, I'm going to miss my footing."
Was that supposed to be a threat, or what?
"Careful," Alarie said quickly, wanting to reach out and hold the rope for him, even though she knew he didn't need it. She wondered how he could concentrate, with all of those voices. She grinned a bit, watching him scoot down the rope. "I don't know how well you'll be able to catch me if you fall and break something!"
Aw, how sweet.
She's worried about you, kid.
Understandable, but still. Sweet, in a way.
Churat flashed a little smile up at her, pausing in his climb down Why did the first floor have to be so tall and imposing-ish, compared to the other two floors? "I'll be all right. I'd just make you wait a few minutes until I had it all fixed, that's all."
Pay attention to the climb, idiot!
Obediently, he looked back down at where he was grabbing with his feet and started back down again. Halfway there!
Alarie watched with bated breath, knowing she was probably worrying too much, but it was a long way. She glanced around her and then reached out for the rope, thinking she could at least get started on working her way down. That way he wouldn't have to wait too long for her. "I'm coming down now too, okay?" she called to him. "I'll try not to fall on you or anything."
"You're what? --Whoah!" Looking up at the sound of Alarie's voice, Churat missed his footing and for a moment dangled from his arms, feet scrambling at the rope in an attempt to find the nearest know, until he got himself secure again.
He didn't move for a mintue, just clinging there with his eyes shut and waiting for the riot in his head to die down. Everyone was yelling at him for being clumsy and not paying attention. After all, it was their body, too, so he wasn't allowed to damage it without permission. Or something.
"You okay?" Alarie asked, shifting enough to look below her at Churat. He wasn't on the floor and writhing in agony, which was a relief. "Sorry! I didn't mean to distract you." She started down the rope again, eager to get onto solid ground.
He only barely heard her-- and that because everyone else was finally quieting down. "Just waiting for the noise to die down, is all," he answered, then started moving again. Half his attention now, though, was above him on Alarie... just in case.
Oddly, that made the climb go more quickly, and he was at the bottom before he knew it, where the rope was anchored tightly the same was it was at the top. Feet back on the ground, he looked up at Alarie, one hand still on the rope and ready to scramble up again after if need be.
"Doing all right, up there?"
"I'm fine," she assured him, grinning to herself as she continued to move down the rope with ease now that she had a firm grip. "It's kind of fun, actually!" She glanced down to see him, relieved to see he'd made it down in one piece. Now she just had to follow suit. She began to climb a bit faster, a tiny part of her wanting to at least show off a little. "Am I almost there?"
"You're about halfway," Churat guessed. "Don't go too fast, now."
Worried about <u>her</u> now, are we?
And why not? She's been perfectly nice, herself, and sure worried about us.
Yes, but that's us.
Or, well, him.
"Have you climbed like this before?" Churat asked curiously, trying to tuck his long hair behind his ears and not in his face.
"Oh, definitely," Alarie answered, pausing to catch her breath. Bloody stupid stairs disappearing. How on earth was she going to get back up? She climbed a lot back home. Trees, fences... anything really. But this took a long of work, and would take even more upper body strength climb up. Alarie shook off the doubt. She could do it. And if not? Well, she'd sleep in the basement. "Mostly trees back home. This... is no problem... at all." At least she had her bravado. Alarie moved down a few more knots. "Think I'm close enough to just jump the rest of the way?"
"You would be, if you were me," Churat said after a moment of eying how high up she was. "But I think humans are a little more breakable than vrykolas. Here, come down one more knot and jump at me." He could just catch her.
Oh, this'll be good.
"Jump at you?" Alarie asked, eyes wide as she peered down at him. He didn't look too far away from her. She continued to move down and though she was loathe to admit it, her palms were starting to hurt a bit. She didn't want to hurt him, but she kept forgetting he was a Vrykola, even with his teeth. "Okay... I'm going to jump. If I hurt you... well, I'm sorry!" What could she offer in return other than a bite or two. With that, she took a breath and tried to jump carefully in his direction.
Incoming!
Her aim was good, though Churat's ability to catch wasn't quite so good. She landed on him, all right, but it was more of a crash than a catch, and Churat went down in a tangle of long sleeves, long limbs, and girl-human. At least he landed on his butt and not, like, his head, or something.
When he realized what had happened, and that he had girl-human on top of him, he winced and started babbling apologies. "Oh, gods, I'm sorry, are you okay? Did you bump anything? I apparently can't catch, I'm sorry, I thought it could be fun, but I'm sorry."
Everyone in his head was laughing. Of course.
She released a loud 'oof' as she fell on him, but he managed to keep her from hitting the ground, although he went down. She landed on him, and it wasn't as graceful as she had imagined at all. Breathing in and realizing nothing was broken - at least none of her bones - Alarie began to laugh. "I'm fine! Thank you." Belatedly she also realized that she was resting on top of him and it probably wasn't the most comfortable position for him. She giggled again and rolled off of him. "You caught me just fine... in your own way. Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"
Propping himself up once she was no longer sprawled across his chest--
Aww....
Just in biting distance.
Shut up!
--Churat gave her a critical look-over. Nothing looked bleeding or broken or even scraped up... though she might wind up bruised. She was laughing, though, which was a good sign, right? "Huh? Oh. No, I think I'm all right." He'd probably wind up bruised, too, but that would last a lot less time than her bruises. Thankfully, he did most of the hitting-the-ground for both of them. "Well, that was at least more exciting than climbing the rest of the way down," he said with a sheepish little grin.